Terrorism.

One must stand face to face with the photographs of every single man, woman and child murdered by gunfire or suicide bombers to truly realize just who it is we face here. An enemy who lacks all semblance of humanity. Who knows no difference between a civilian and a soldier, or between a man and a child, or a woman, or an old man.

This is a war, yet we do all our best not to act as if it truly is one. We grant them places to work, we sell them electricity from our power stations, water from our limited reservoirs, and what do we recieve in return ? A mother and her three children, gunned down in their own home at night. Yet we still believe in peace, deep down in our hearts. We wish for it. They do not.

Nearly 550 Israelis have been murdered in cold blood by Palestinian terrorists since the beginning of the current conflict. Most of them never met a Palestinian, much less acted as agressors against their people. Many of our dead are children, who do not even understand what the conflict is about. On the other side, we have reports of "mounting Palestinian casualties" and "genocide". Correct, we killed far more than we have lost, so have all other victorious nations in their own wars. After all, the US had no qualms about killing Afghans in their recent war in Afghanistan, did they ?

Remember, any innocent deaths incurred by our security forces were mistakes. Fatal mistakes, irreversible mistakes, ones that must never happen again. Yet, they are mistakes. Every nation that accuses us of making those mistakes best check its own history, for it will certainly find mistakes just like those we have allowed ourselves to make. And every such nation must check the Palestinians, for their own security mechnisms are a part of a terror machine, fueled by money flowing in from Syria, Iraq, Iran. It is the same money that produced the events of September 11th. Or shall we label that act of terror as a "mistake" ?

We all remember the uproar and call for revenge against the "axis of evil" by all of the "civilized world" that followed that second day of infamy, on September 11th, 2001. Yet, when the same money, the same terrorists kill Israelis, all is quiet. Our blood is allowed, then. We are fair game. "Civilized world", indeed.

Finally, the nations of the "Civilized world" blame us for using too much power against the Palestinians. Wrong. They have not yet seen a tenth of Israel's military might. That same might that can bring a coalition of all neighbouring arab nations to kneel before us, as it had in the past. It is the restraint we show in this conflict, the ethical code by which our military works and our continual belief in peace, which mark us as those who are right in this war.

I will finish this with my punch line. We gave them so much, and recieved nothing in return, but more casualties andviolence. Should they really wanted their own nation, they would have accepted what was given. They refused. This leads to a single conclusion which can be drawn:

They do not want a country. They want our country, my country. And we're damn straight not about to give it to them. Would you ?

-Lt. Lev (Res. Inf.) "Dire Wolf" Arris, IDF.

"What is it like fighting the Wolf ? Imagine a lightning with legs, an earthquake with arms, a catastrophe with genius or just pure hell on wheels".

Think about the leaders of various movements in the 20th century. The 2 that immediately come to my mind are Dr. Martin Luther King and Ghandi. Both used passive resistance and both got what they were looking for. For Ghandi it was independence from Britain for India and for Dr. King it was equality for his people (granted it's an ongoing struggle but it will come about soon, the old gaurd racists are slowly dying off and their numbers continue to diminish). But what happens when a leader uses terrorism? They don't get what they want and they usually end up being destroyed. It makes me wonder what any of the terrorists in the world are thinking.

It doesn't take a pshych major to see the circle of death that will continue if both sides keep up their current actions. This is not a one-way action btw.

You ever hear the term Israeli settler? these people believe it is their right to settle outside of the Israeli state itself in the west bank area and demand military protection (these settlements make US prisons look easy to break out of at times ... they are fortresses). They have a religious right apparently (though only hard liners actually believe this to be correct) which is similar in right to the radical Muslims right to kill all non-muslims (in other word it doesn't exist but in a word being misinterpretated).

Several Hardliners in the Israeli government even want to regardless of if a peace agreement is reached to destroy all religious icons of the muslims such as mosques and so on in Jerusalem. Is this going to bring peace to the area? In my opinion no.

I could go further if you want but seriously it is one messed-up area..... circle of death continues.

I'm not trying to claim that Israel has clean hands. In fact I, until recently, felt sympathy or at least understanding of the Palestinian viewpoint, not necessarily total support but I could see where they were coming from. But everytime they could have "been the bigger man" or "taken the moral high road," if I may use a pair of cliches, they instead blow up a club or bus filled with school kids. And every time my support for them waned, until the recent bus bombing where it finally disappeared. They may have a right to be angry, but the way in which they express that anger is not something I can support. Like I mentioned in an earlier post if they were truely righteous they wouldn't seek out civilian targets (that the Israelis attack civilian targets is a by product of facing what is a civilian rebellion of sorts), they would instead target the military directly.

And I can't fault the Israeli response to the terror bombings. I was very supportive of my country's response to September 11 and they by comparison are being restrained IMHO.

For clarification, the point I'm trying to make is that the Palestinians would get a lot further by peaceful protests ala Dr. King, rather than by sending a dumb bomb to walk into a market and kill women and children.

Also for clarification, I do recognize that not every Palestinian is a terrorist but it is nevertheless the responsibility of the ordinary person to tell the leaders that the methods they've chosen is unacceptable.

Its hard for you to be compassionate for the palestinians imagine the lack of compassion on both sides actually involved. This isn't something that has been going on for only a couple of years but for over a generation. People are being bred into this environment with a sence of hopelessness. All it takes is a dispicable group like Hamas to encourage these people into thinking the only way to respond it to kill innocents and it would take much for them to accomplish this. Recent attacks have I believe all been linked to Hamas rather than the Palestinian themselves and the continuous retaliations from the Israeli ensures that Hamas has plenty of willing 'volunteers'.

If I had the actual stats on the areas and those killed in retaliation by the Israelis (which is higher than those killed by the bombs and include the same types of people that were killed by the bombs ... school-age children and women and children).

I despise bombs and the methods used but I also don't like firing on unarmed children.

I have friends from both sides of the border. Their families fled Down Under to escape the bloodshed there, and now, despite the original differences between them, are now good friends.

The problem is not that one side is vicious, malicious, or bloody-minded. It is cultural. Your people have been at each other's throats for so long, you do not know how to be at peace with each other.

Both sides have committed atrocities. Neither side is blameless. But one would expect that the Jews-given what they had suffered at Hitler's hands in the not-so-distant past-might have learnt a better way than this.

But apparently not.

Make no mistake; I do not condone the use of terrorism, nor the targeting of innocent civilians. It is just that I have grown up on the other side of the world, in a country that-than God- has never faced a major war within its own borders. I look at what happens over there, and can only shake my head in despair.

I have no answers. But I do know this: what you are doing there is not working. And as long as one side answers the other with terrorism, things will only escalate.

Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.

I still feel that my point about Dr. King and Ghandi stands. And their followers were faced with the same kind of despair, in particular Ghandi's, most, if not all, of whom were lower caste Indians, barely pulling together an exsistence. Yet they used nonviolent resistance and succeeded. And when their antagonists used violence against their peace the attackers were completely condemned even by those who supported them. Resisting through peace yields greater dividends than terror.

>>This isn't something that has been going on for only a couple of years but for over a generation

More on the order of millenia. Like over a hundred generations. Back to when we measure dates with BC.

>>Recent attacks have I believe all been linked to Hamas rather than the Palestinian themselves

See my clarification in my previous post

>>and the continuous retaliations from the Israeli

I can't condemn them for this considering my country's response to terror and my support of it. And we effectively destroyed an entire regime. And unfortunately not all of the targets we hit were occupied by those we sought to destroy.

>>include the same types of people that were killed by the bombs

But how many of those were actively targeted for death and how many were caught in the crossfire? This is really the crux of what I'm getting at. When have the Israelis actively(my key word and point) sought out women and children? On the other hand the terrorists have actively sought them out continuously, such as one of the recent attacks where a mother and her 3 children were killed by an infiltrator in their home.

"(ii)TERRORIST ACTIVITY DEFINED--As used in this Act, the term "terrorist activity" means any activity which is unlawful under the laws of the place where it is committed (or which, if committed in the United States, would be unlawful under the laws of the United States or any State) and which involves any of the following":

"(I) The highjacking or sabotage of any conveyance (including an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle)."

"(II) The seizing or detaining, and threatening to kill, injure, or continue to detain, another individual in order compel a third person (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the individual seized or detained."

"(III) A violent attack upon an internationally protected person (as defined in section 1116(b)(4) of title 18, United States code) or upon the liberty of such a person."

"(IV) An assassination."

"(V) The use on any--" "(a) biological agent, chemical agent, or nuclear weapon or device," or "(b) explosive or firearm (other than for mere personal monetary gain), with intent to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals or to cause substantial damage to property."

"(VI) A threat, attempt, or conspiracy to do any of the foregoing."

"(iii) ENGAGE IN TERRORIST ACTIVITY DEFINED.-As used in the Act, the term "engage in terrorist activity" means to commit, in an individual capacity or as a member of an organization, an act of terrorist activity or an act which the actor knows, or reasonably should know, affords material support to any individual, organization, or government in conducting a terrorist activity at any time, including any of the following acts":

"(I) The preparation or planning of a terrorist activity." "(II) the gathering of information on potential targets for terrorist activity." "(III) The providing of any type of material support, including a safe house, transportation, communication, funds, false identification, weapons, explosives, or training, to any individual the actor knows or has reason to believe has committed or plans to commit a terrorist activity." "(IV) The soliciting of funds or other things of value for terrorist activity of for any terrorist organization." "(V) The solicitation of any individual for membership in a terrorist organization, terrorist government, or to engage in a terrorist activity."

Class dismissed......

Erich Raulfestone

Rangers, Lead the Way!
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8

In reply to: bold words you said about defeating all those countries but pride cometh first you know

In all the wars of the past, Israel haven't lost one. If anything, we are more determined to survive as ever, since we see this our second war of independance. Remember, Israel is a lion pushed back into a corner with a burning torch. How long will it take us to overcome our fear of fire to tear the man holding the torch apart ? Who knows. But if it will happen, the results for the other side will be far less than pretty.

-Lt. Lev (Res. Inf.) "Dire Wolf" Arris, IDF.

"What is it like fighting the Wolf ? Imagine a lightning with legs, an earthquake with arms, a catastrophe with genius or just pure hell on wheels".

Lev, stop and think for a while. Why did you join the IDF? Was it because you want to protect your nation and your people, or was it because you want a chance to dish out retribution to the Palestinians?

If it is *COMPLETELY* for the former, then you are a good man, and have nothing to fear. If the latter composed any part of reason for signing on...well...you have my pity.

I know all too well what it is like to be driven by rage and consumed by thoughts of retribution. It's bad enough when one person indulges in such activity, but when two nations do it? This, I suspect, is the result.

Keep your head down, and stay safe, Lev.

Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.

As much as I want to slap both sides silly and tell them to just knock it off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, when I think of the long, bitter history between Jews and Muslims, I find it hard to blame them for constantly being at each other's throats.

I mean, I know first hand what it's like to be kicked around (figuratively speaking) over and over, for good reason or no reason, and I know how badly I wanted to dish out payback when I was able, even though I knew it would not be a wise course of action. Isreael is a nation that is and always has been surrounded by enemies, so, like a cornered animal, the people of that country would all like to strike out and end the threat once and for all. The Palestinians (and all the other players in the Middke East drama) have their own reasons for fighting.

It seems to me that the main obstacle to the peace process is this: although both sides want peace, both want it on their terms, or after they've won this next war. Hence both governments will be reluctant to present a proposal that the other will accept, or to accept what the other offers, and among the people, whatever agreement may be reached, there will always be at least a portion of the population that feels shortchanged. And that portion will likely be large enough, and angry enough, to start another war.

I sincerely hope that one day, and soon, everyone will be willing to accept a compromise and put an end to the endless stupidity. It is very hard to forgive someone who has hurt you, whether you are an individual or a country, but that is the only way the fighting will ever stop. And so it continues.

Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson

Using a movie as proof in an argument. Should we also conclude that one British spy has singlehandedly saved the free world (and sometimes the enslaved world) repeatedly while snogging every female in sight?

I joined the IDF first and foremost, to defend my country. But let me remind you, everyone here has a limited span of patience. It might be the longest there is in the world, for I do not know another country that suffered as many acts of terror against its civilians and hasn't lashed out in blind fury, but this span will end someday. We do not wish for that day, nor ever will, but if it shall come, we will be ready.

If you need more proof that Israel does not wish a war, nor wishes to lash out total retribution against the Palestinians, just look at us now. Our civilians are being murdered in their homes, shot dead on the roads, or blown up by human bombs in buses. And yet, we hand out a hand for peace in one hand, all the while holding a shotgun in the other. No longer will we blindly believe that peace is just behind the corner, but we have no reason for giving up on it.

-Lt. Lev (Res. Inf.) "Dire Wolf" Arris, IDF.

"What is it like fighting the Wolf ? Imagine a lightning with legs, an earthquake with arms, a catastrophe with genius or just pure hell on wheels".

I just realized something that makes this mess even more unpleasant for all involved. The Palestinean terrorists and others who wield the same methods are opposing Israes in the name of Allah, while their actions parallel those once demanded by the Cannanite(sp?) god Baal. The sacrifice of live children to a firey death.

It leads to the question of who (what?) the monks that condone this behaviour are praying to.

Upon pondering this, I suspect that there is a small group who are the true villains in this conflict, yet they will not lay their eyes upon the carnage they cause unless they are allowed to fully succeed. Some manipulated, some trying to defend themselves, most civilians and soldiers are just caught up doing whatever they can to protect what they beleive in.

I have not had a chance to verify most of this, it is a thought. I may be wrong, we shall see.

If I offended you with what I said, I apologise; it was not my intent.

It's just that it seems that every time I turn on the news, the first thing that is said is "Today, X number of people were slaughtered by a psychotic fool who thought that killing innocent civilians was a good way to get their point across. In related news, X number of innocent civilians were killed when psychotic soldiers opened fire on a crowd to enforce a curfew."

It's just so *BLOODY* pointless.

Yea, verily. Let it be known far and wide that Nightward loathes MW: DA. Indeed, it is with the BURNING ANIMUS OF A THOUSAND SUNS that he doth rage against it with.

I, for one, am appaled by the hypocritical behavior of our "President" and his administration.I, for one, do not turn a blind eye to Isreal's suffering.I, for one, will not deny Isreal the liberties we took in Afghanistan.

Keep fighting the good fight, Lev.May you return safe once again.

-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter

Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.:)